Score Your Next Big Client by Using These 5 Creative Sales Proposal Hacks

In a perfect world, all business owners and sales teams would have their phones ringing off the hook from people wanting to buy what they’re selling. However, in the real world, you’re going to have to work really hard to find and earn new business opportunities.  

If you’re looking for fresh and creative sales proposal hacks to bring in your next big customer, try using these 5 tips to bring your stale sales pitch back to life.

5 Creative Sales Proposal Hacks:

1. Do Your Research 

If you could have a shot at any particular consumer or business, who would you love the opportunity to pitch to? Before setting your sight on a potential customer or lead, perform a little research to look for your ideal customer.

Since this is a cold process, you’re going to want to become very familiar with any big fish clients you’re looking to reel in. Once you’ve found your dream customer, try finding the answers to these very specific questions:   

• • How long have they been in business?
• • Who are the main decision makers?
• • What is their brand personality?
• • Does your brand voice and attitude match their brand?
• • How many social platforms are they active on?
• • What do they post on social media?
• • What content do they focus on with their website? 
• • How can they use your product or service?
• • Who do they currently use? Do they seem happy?
• • What seems to be most/least important to their brand?

#SalesHackTip: You want to basically stalk your potential client. Don’t be creepy about it, but cruise their online presence to find out as much information about their business model as you can. This step allows you to jump into their shoes and get a feel for what’s most important to them; making it easier for your sales pitch to appeal to them.   

2. Make a Plan

Now that you have a very detailed understanding of who your big fish lead is, you can begin to plan your very specific sales proposal. Start brainstorming ideas surrounding these core areas:

• What are the lead’s direct and indirect needs?

When done correctly, your internet stalking session should’ve painted a detailed picture of the company you’re vetting. Where have they been; where are they now; and, where do you think they want to be in the future?   

• How can you help the lead?

Be very specific in your brainstorming session and list out all of the different ways, big or small, that you can help them with. Create a customized product/service package that fits the company perfectly.

• Can you offer competitive rates?

Now that you have listed out all the ways you can help this big fish in a customized package, put a sticker price on it. If your profit margin allows a little wiggle room, consider discount offers that you can afford. However, hold onto these discount rate possibilities until after you pitch your proposal at a fair price. Only use a discount offer if your lead is on the fence after the customized sales pitch.

• Do you have examples of your work?

Start pulling examples and case studies of how you’ve helped similar customers in the past. When submitting your portfolio, you want to make sure that you only include the best samples that are within the scope you intend to help your lead with.

• How are you going to reach out?

During the planning stage, be sure and find the best way to become a blip on your big fish’s radar. Your internet stalking should’ve led you to the best source to start a conversation with a decision maker. You can easily reach most C-level executives on their social profile, like LinkedIn, or through a direct channel, like email or telephone. Decide how you want to reach out before you finalize your sales proposal.

3. Make it Appealing

This section is pretty straight-forward, but you want to make your sales presentation appealing to your potential customer. This’ll take some creative, out-of-the-box thinking on your part. However, at this point, you should know who your pitching to on a deep an intimate level.

Take a look at some of these famous creative sales proposal hacks that have gotten mass attention through movies and television shows. Be inspired and tackle the aesthetics of your presentation in a one of a kind way.

• Don’t be afraid of adopting a gimmick.

In the blockbuster hit, The Pursuit of Happyness, Will Smith’s character gains the attention of a C-Level executive by solving the Rubik’s cube puzzle. He leaves such an amazing impression, he gains an interview with the decision makers.   

• If you’re really confident, be confident.

Don Draper from Mad Men is a classic example of a closer who sometimes uses his arrogance and confidence to command the attention when pitching his idea. However, don’t go down this road unless you have the skills, experience and wherewithal to do what you say you’re going to do.   

• Create a pitch that is unique and exciting.

Take a lesson from Elle Woods in Legally Blonde and be eccentric and different with your presentation. So while other applicants were sending in written essays, this California girl submitted a video essay. Pitch your proposal in a unique way that shows that you’re different and can think outside of the box.

#SalesHackTip: Consider your potential client’s industry and brand voice to make your pitch as clever, interesting, beneficial and/or intriguing as possible. Remember, you are trying to score your next big customer and in order to get their attention, you have to do something remarkable to become a blip on their radar.  

4. Pump Yourself Up

If everything went as planned, at this point, you gained the attention of an influential person within the company. They listened to your preliminary pitch and want to see your proposal live and in person. Before you even think about delivering your sales pitch in front of the lead, look over this checklist to make sure you are ready to go.

• • You’ve memorized your lead’s key business information and can hold an informed and educated discussion of their needs.

• • You’ve become fluent in the custom proposal and/or package you’re going to be pitching and know all of the data by heart.

• • You’ve practiced your pitch in front of a colleague, friend or video camera. You don’t want to go into your pitch with a roundabout idea of what you’re going to say. Know what you’re going to say and you’ll be more prepared, confident and knowledgeable.

• • You’ve created a list of questions you want to ask your lead in order to guide them down your sales tunnel. Put yourself in your potential customer’s shoes and try to anticipate why they would say no. Then, prepare a smooth transition that’ll turn any no into a yes. Practice this role-playing game and it’ll help you prepare for negative reactions.   

• • Listen to your favorite music, go for a run that morning or do anything that pumps you up. You want to mentally prepare yourself to have extreme confidence; Rocky would call it, having the ‘Eye of the Tiger.’ 

5. Follow Up

If you don’t leave that office with a definite yes to your sales pitch, don’t worry. Thank your big fish lead for their time and let them know that you’ll be following up with them. Don’t be discouraged; even if you get a flat-out no. Consider their no a “not now.” They took your meeting which means, they do have a need for your product or service. 

After the sales meeting, sit down and try to analyze why they rejected your offer. Was it about money? Was your custom proposal too vague? Perhaps you were really close to landing the sale, but there was one factor that the lead didn’t like. Go back to the drawing board and see if there’s anything you can tweak or rearrange to get that big lead to try you out.  

Try out these Creative Sales Proposal Hacks!

Our final #SalesHackTip is to leave your card with your lead and let them know that they can call you anytime, day or night. If you don’t want to miss their call, hire a virtual receptionist to answer your calls 24/7. This kind of personalized service is unique and can give you the edge you need to reel in that big fish.

We hope these creative sales proposal hacks help you land your next big client!